What does the atomic weight of an atom represent?

Answer 1

Atomic weight is sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. Protons and neutrons, as members of the nucleus, are sometimes called nucleons. The atomic weight is sometimes said to be the nucleon number.

The relative atomic mass (Ar) (also known as atomic weight and average atomic mass) is the average of the atomic masses of all the chemical element's isotopes as found in a particular environment, weighted by isotopic abundance. This is frequently used as a synonym for the standard atomic weightand it is not incorrect to do so since the standard atomic weights are relative atomic masses, although it is less specific to do so. Relative Atomic Mass also refers to non-terrestrial environments and highly specific terrestrial environments that deviate from the average or have different certainties (number of significant figures) than the standard atomic weights.

A link is provided to the Wikipedia article on atomic weight.

Answer 2

The atomic weight basically means the weight of the element. For example, if I'm 97 lbs, that is my weight. Another example would be the atomic weight of carbon is 12.011 because that is how much the carbon weighs.

Answer 3

Atomic weight = number of protons + number of neutrons :)

Answer 4

It is the weighted average of the masses of naturally-occurring isotopes.

(taken from about.com)

Answer 5

atomic mass is the atom that can carry the number of neutron on the shell,where as atomic weight the weight of mass.